Pistols: The Spanish Connection

[ccdjg]

Airguns are rarely, if ever, listed according to their country of manufacture, although recently I did do this with Italian spring air pistols (https://www.airgunbbs.com/showthread...hlight=Italian)

I have now had a go at putting together all the Spanish spring air pistols in my collection, and these are they. Not many you would call really vintage, but most no longer in production and never likely to come back, so definitely of collecting interest. This is not an exhaustive collection, and there are a few missing.



These are all the ones I can think of that have so far got away. If you can think of any others, please let me know.





Compared to some countries, Spain has not produced a very wide range of spring air pistols, and pre-war ones are virtually unknown. I suspect there are many more Spanish air rifles though, and it would nice to see some of those from your own collections.

[Garvin]

Brilliant information, thank you. Spain doesn't seem to have very much interest in vintage airguns. I was just looking at the gallery stats to see where the Spanish figured among viewers and this month they were below 20th of the top 25 countries in terms of the number of pages viewed.

[urx]

Number 2 is a nice looking piece that appeals

[Jerry Cornelius]

Number 2 is a nice looking piece that appeals

Imho they are disappointing in the flesh. There is a lot of plastic and the cocking arm is flimsy

Interesting design though.

[Geezer]

R20 is a rare bird.

Have Cometa discontinued the Indian? Notwithstanding the comment above, I’ve often rather fancied one.

[ptdunk]

R20 is a rare bird.

Have Cometa discontinued the Indian? Notwithstanding the comment above, I’ve often rather fancied one.

Unfortunately so, I think they stopped making them in 2020.
My new one dieseled quite a bit so I stripped cleaned a relubed it and it shoots really nicely now, decent power too.

Sights are rudimentary and the build quality is basic but they are an interesting design and I really like mine.

Cheers,
Matt

[ashf9999]

R20 is a rare bird.

Have Cometa discontinued the Indian? Notwithstanding the comment above, I’ve often rather fancied one.

Mine turned up from Danny's contact today. I'd equally half hankered after one over the years, but had never got round to it. After seeing in John Griffiths' encyclopedia it was out of production I got it and am very glad I did. The grips are very much Tempest/Hurricane style, but slightly larger. It's an ugly bugr but sights quite nicely, and is very easy to cock. The unlatching procedure is a little fiddly at first, and the trigger is basic but predictable, but all in all it's a nice, well balanced pistol that is lighter than it looks.

[Powderfinger]

Thank you for bringing up this interesting subject and showing us photos of the Spanish pistols. Spain was a prolific maker of firearms and airguns.
Astra 400 cartridge pistols must be one of the most widely used pistols in history. It is a shame there is not a CO2 airgun version of it. It would also have been very easy to make a push in barrel replica of an Astra 400.

[springfieldm6]

Not spring guns, but does anyone remember the Spanish Podiums, which were briefly advertised in Airgun World/Airgunner in the 80’s? They had a copy of a Crosman pump up rifle.

[rapidresponse1]

some nice ones there

[MDriskill]

Very interesting info with some new-to-me ones, thanks much for posting.

When I first got into airguns I rather fancied the Gamo Center and Target - nice-looking, well-made, fixed-barrel designs. And the sheer oddness of the Indian is oddly appealing, lol! But haven't acquired either, I need to get busy on that...

[lodmoor]

Did not see a Gamo PR-15 on your list.

[ccdjg]

Did not see a Gamo PR-15 on your list.

This collection is strictly for spring air pistols, and so the PR-15 , which is a single-stroke pneumatic, wasn't included.